Certificate has been given to Persian language students in the Megatrend University, Serbia

Cultural Advisory of Iran celebrated the last night of autumn(Yalda) at the University of Megatrend Belgrade, Serbia. Students of elective language course were awarded that night with the certificates for the end of Persian language course

According to the Public Relations of saadi foundation, the ceremony which was attended by a large number of cultural and scientific figures from Iran and Serbia, featured short films about the Iranian Yalda Night and some professors and students at the University of Megatrend, as well as Saeed Safari, professor of Persian language at the University of Megatrend (dispatched from Iran) and Mohsen Soleimani, a cultural affiliate of Iran in Serbia, spoke about the Yalda night, Persian language and Iranian culture.

Speaking at the ceremony, Katarina Zakic, International deputy of Megatrend University, while appreciating Iranʼs Cultural Advisory to hold Persian language courses at this university said: each language is the gateway to a culture, especially if it is an ancient Iranian culture and civilization, Persian language students are having a good wealth.

Dragan Ćalović, the head of the centre for Iranian study at Megatrend University, also referred to a collection of Iranian cultural programs at the University of Megatrend, said: Fortunately, our university has had very good relations with the Iranian cultural centre. We hosted a number of university professors from Iran last year and this year, and five writers and Iranian filmmakers at our university have spoken to students about Iranian art and literature.

Bojan Sartenovich, a senior student at the University of Megatrend, was the next speaker who reported on his observations of his one-month visit to Iran to participate in the Persian language course in Tehran.

"In Iran and in Tehran, all religions are respected and their places of worship are open," Sartenovich said in a part of his speech.

Samedin Rocchanin, Serbian youth representative in UNICEF, a Persian language student at Megatrend University, also spoke about Persian language and Iranian cinema: "I am in this university, in addition to being interested in Persian language, I am an Iranian film expert and also a youth representative in the United Nations. If you look at the history of the Serbian film, you will notice that our cinema tends to be closer to Western and Hollywood cinema, as well as European, Japanese and Chinese cinema. But we do not overlook art films such as Iranian films. Iranʼs cinema is old enough, but Iranʼs artistic cinema emerged during the eighties, right before and after the Iranian revolution of course, if you are looking for spending time and you like to loll in front of the TV and have fun or sleep. Iranian movies are not suitable for you and to serve this role, Hollywood is at your service".

He added: Iranian films are usually symbolic and refer to the issues of the day. One of the first Iranian art films in Iran was the movie "Cow" made by Mehrjui before the Iranian Revolution, which depicted poverty; but it did not mean material and economic poverty; it was a reference to the spiritual and spiritual poverty of that period. The film shot a wave in Iranian cinema, but also the world. Following this cinematic artistic wave, you will be faced with directors such as Abbas Kiarostami and Asghar Farhadi. Farhadiʼs works who won two Oscars for films "A Separation" with a family and immigration theme and a movie "Salesman" showing cultural and traditional values.

The last speaker of the ceremony was Mohsen Soleimani, a cultural affiliate of Iran, who referred to the growing ties between Serbia and Iran, said: "In the last three months, issuing visa between the two countries has been cancelled, and about 5,000 Iranians visited Serbia, and this reflects the growing cultural and economic ties between the two countries, because some of the Iranians are familiar with the Serbian culture and may consider more business relation with your country. Meanwhile, the people of Serbia are more likely to travel to Iran and get better acquainted with Iranian people and their culture.

He stressed that these extensive relationships naturally require someone who wants to know Persian language so you should try to make Iranian and Serbian culture known to both nations and provide more opportunities for the cultural and economic relations between these two countries.

Soleimani continued: Iranʼs Cultural Advisory is ready to provide a large number of scholarships for those who want to continue studying Persian language and literature in Iran.

At the end of the ceremony, fifty students of the Persian language course, awarded the graduation certificates by our countryʼs cultural advisor and Katarina Zakic, international deputy of the University of Megatrend along with the Serbian translation of the story of the "blue but purple colour" by Mehdi Shojaei. Then the students were welcomed in the open-air area of the university, which was decorated for New Yearʼs Eve and also with the icons of the Yalda Night (Persian handicrafts, pomegranates, Hafez books, etc.).